Connect the project

After you define a proper project structure in LN, you can schedule the project in a Microsoft Project. You must, however, save the current project on the Microsoft Project before you attempt the connection.

Use the Save As option to save the file with a name that identifies the file with the project in LN. This Microsoft Project name is written in a record that is inserted in the LN External Schedule Links (tppss230) table. The same name appears for all the connected budget lines near the ESP Link field.

Example:

You connect an LN Project Microsoft Project test for the plan A1 to Microsoft Project. You must save this connected project to a file in Microsoft Project, for example, Connection 1. This file name appears in the External Schedule Links (tppss2530m000) session and is added to the records of all the budget lines that are linked to this project in Microsoft Project. If you click the Connect Project option, the following message appears:

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Log files

Microsoft Project creates log files during connection to LN in which you can see if the connection is successful, or check what went wrong during the connection. The log files are saved in the directory where you save your Microsoft Project file. The naming convention used is: <project name>.log.

When you connect a project the following Log file is generated. The file displays the data transferred and alerts you to problems, if any.

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The log file displays the errors that can occur when Microsoft Project integrates with ERP. For example, if the log file says, "Labor is not transferred," you can conclude that the Labor Cost Object Link with the External Package check box is not selected.

Connect Microsoft Project to LN Project

The LN data is transferred to the saved project. If you have entered data in this file, the LN data replaces this data.

The following data is transferred while the project is connected to LN:

  • Calendar data
  • Resources, which includes standard types/project types
  • Activity structure
  • Activity/Budget Line relationship data

When you connect the project in Microsoft Project to the project in LN, the scheduled start and finish dates in LN, if any, are transferred to Microsoft Project. This only happens when you establish the connection for the first time, after which, the ownership of the scheduled dates rests with Microsoft Project.

Note

The connection you make is logical, which you must carry out only once for every project.

To connect to the LN Project, go to File > LN Project > Connect Project.

The following screen appears:
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The Connection tab contains the following fields:

  • Company: The default back component maintained in the OpenWorldX Adapter Configuration provides the company.
  • Projects: From this list, select the LN project code. The project information is retrieved from LN and entered automatically in this form.
  • Start Date and Finish date: These fields display the start date and finish date of the LN Project, for information purposes only.

  • Plan: The activity structure from the plan is used. By default, the leading plan is displayed, but you can choose another plan. You cannot connect a plan that meets any of the following criteria:

    • Already has a live link to a Microsoft Project on the highest level.
    • Has a project with the Active status.
  • Connection node: The activity node taken from the activity structure to which the connection is made. The activities connected to the node are used in Microsoft Project. You cannot link an activity to Microsoft Project if the node either above or below this element is already used for another project.
  • Select Node: Click this button to make the activity structure available as a tree. You can select an activity for connection, which is then filled in the Connection Node field. The button is available only if activities are defined under the selected LN Project plan.
  • Ownership: Set the ownership of activity structure, budget line quantities and activity/budget line relationship data. You can set the ownership to Microsoft Project.
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The Resources tab contains the following fields:

  • Transfer Resources/Cost Objects to Project: If this check box is selected, you can choose cost object types from the LN source data. These cost object types are transferred as resources to Microsoft Project.
  • Labor cost objects are transferred to an external file, <Microsoft Project file name>.lco, which receive a reference to Microsoft Project if you define budget lines.
  • You must transfer the cost objects required for budget lines. If you do not transfer the resource, you will not be able to create budget lines in Microsoft Project.
  • Resource Calendars/Availability Type: You must select the resource calendars’ availability type. If the exceptions to the resource calendar are defined in LN, the availability type is used. Additionally, a base calendar is created in Microsoft Project with this availability type.

  • The default calendar is used as a base calendar in the following two cases:

    • When a calendar is not specified for a resource in LN.
    • When the specified calendar is not selected for transfer to Microsoft Project.
Note

All availability types set to Available are present. The integration verifies whether or not the availability type already exists as a base calendar in Microsoft Project. In case the availability type does not exist, a base calendar is created and the standard calendar template details are transferred.

If the availability type is present in Microsoft Project, Microsoft Project checks whether the latest calendar changes are updated, using a temporary collection of details.

The standard calendar template details comprise of weekdays, such as Monday, Tuesday, and so on, and do not permit exceptions for specific dates. The use of the standard calendar template details can be compared to the three types of calendars that, by default, exist in Microsoft Project: 24 hours, night shift, and standard. If no parent calendar exists, the code will be C.<Availability type>.<calendar code>. If a parent exists, this parent will be added before the calendar code. With multiple levels, the derivation path will be used. For every calendar, a check is carried out to see if the calendar is present in Microsoft Project.

Note

The actual calendar must be up to date. By default, Microsoft Project sets the project calendar for the integrated LN project. To access the LN calendar, in Microsoft Project, on the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.

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The Budget/Schedule tab contains the following fields:

  • Create Tasks Based on Activity Structure and Budget Lines: If you select this check box, the activity structure, starting from the connection node, and the budget line are transferred to Microsoft Project as tasks.
  • Transfer Activity and Budget Line Relationship: Select this check box to transfer the activity and budget line relationship to Microsoft Project as task dependencies. You can select this check box only when the Create Tasks Based on Activity Structure and Budget Lines check box is selected. By default, the check box is selected for all new projects. If this check box is not selected, the Ownership of Activity and Budget Line Relationship field in the Connection tab is set to Not Applicable.

  • Transfer Budget Lines: In this group, you can specify whether a budget line must be transferred as a resource assignment or a task. If you transfer the budget lines with the External Schedule Link field set to Create Link on the Connected Data tab, to Microsoft Project as budget-line tasks, the budget lines are outlined under the task that represents the corresponding activity in LN. When the equipment budget line is transferred as a resource assignment, the corresponding equipment resource is also assigned for scheduling purposes. The employee linked to the budget line is also assigned as a resource for scheduling purposes.

    If a resource is used more than once as part of the same activity (task), a subtask is created, irrespective of the Resource Assignment setting, because Microsoft Project does not permit the same resource to be used more than once for the same task.

    All the milestones linked to an activity in LN are transferred as tasks linked as predecessors to the activity task. The link relationship can be either Start-to-Start or Finish-to-Finish, depending on the milestone date’ s proximity to the activity’s start/finish date in Microsoft Project.

    All the milestones that are not linked to an activity in LN are transferred to the top of the Microsoft Project tasks as stand-alone milestones. The milestones are transferred to all Microsoft Project projects linked to the same LN Project.

  • Connect Project: Click this button to start the process of connecting LN to a Microsoft Project. The button is available only if valid data is entered in the Connect Microsoft Project to LN Project form.

    While you connect the Microsoft Project to a project in LN, the scheduled start and finish dates of activities in LN, if any, are transferred to Microsoft Project. This transfer occurs when you start the project in Microsoft Project to the project in LN for the first time, after which Microsoft Project is the owner of the scheduled dates.